Getting Ready for . . . Anything

Tomorrow morning, my oldest son and I leave for Cub Scout Bear Camp. Although I had planned on using this week to get ready, here we are-the day before camp and we haven’t even started to pack. Now, I was a Boy Scout when I was a boy and my son and I have been camping before, so I am not too worried about getting ready-but I am worried. I have never been to Bear Camp before and although we have been provided a list of this to bring, I am worried about forgetting some necessity. Add to this the fact that I am the Bear Den Leader; I am starting to feel the pressure. The Boy Scout motto is “Be Prepared” and I am trying to be prepared, not only for my son, but for all nine boys who are attending camp.

I am frantically trying to think of everything we might need, even if it is not on the list, because I want all the boys to have a great time and I want them to have everything they need. I also want them to learn about personal responsibility. Sometimes the only way to learn this lesson is by doing without. I can only do so much as a leader and as a parent. I have to trust in my scouts, and more important, I have to trust in their parents. I provided them the list of what to bring and I have to believe that they will pack everything on the list. Although I am going to bring an extra flashlight, in case someone forgets to bring one or someone’s gets broken, I am not going to be one of those leaders, or parents, who is going to bring nine extras in case they all forget.

With that said I am going to pack extra sunscreen and bug spray; maybe even a couple extra glow sticks. I am going to bring the things we may need as a group, but not as individuals; like the rope, the cloths pins, and the trash bags. I am going to be prepared for my son and for my scouts, but I am not going to go overboard (I hope). As I begin to pack for Bear Camp, the most pressing question that comes to mind is: where can I find a battery powered fan?